Hero Indian Super League holders Chennaiyin FC have sent seven youngsters on loan stints to gain first-team experience and further their development, the club announced in Chennai on Tuesday. All of them are under 21 years of age - goalkeeper Samik Mitra (17), defenders Aimol Chongompipa Reamsochung (18), Deepak Tangri (19), attacking midfielders Abhijit Sarkar (18) and Prosenjit Chakraborty (20), and forwards Baoringdao Bodo (18) and Rahim Ali (18).

Five of the seven are on loan at the All India Football Federation (AIFF)’s developmental side Indian Arrows. These include goalkeeper Samik, who played for the U-18s’ and B-team last season, and B-team right-back Aimol, better known as Remi. They join Chennaiyin’s new signings Abhijit Sarkar, Rahim Ali and Deepak Tangri on loan at Indian Arrows and will feature for them in the upcoming Hero I-League campaign.

Mohammedan Sporting has extended the loan stint of Chennaiyin B-team skipper from last season Prosenjit Chakraborty, after he impressed for the Kolkata giants in the Calcutta Football League, where he also scored the winner on his debut.

Chennaiyin’s youngest ever first team debutant Baoringdao Bodo has made a loan move to
I-League side Gokulam Kerala FC. The talented young forward who made two appearances for CFC in last season’s ISL title triumph will turn out for the side from Kozhikode in this season’s Hero I-League.

“We are working towards creating an effective loan system that gives our youngsters an additional platform to develop. If any of our other youngsters gets a loan opportunity that we think will benefit him more rather than playing for our youth teams, we will definitely encourage it. This season we promoted three players from our B-team to senior squad and through our own youth teams and loan system we aim to increase that number each year in a bid to continue the process of producing players from within,” said Chennaiyin Chief Technical Officer Amoy Ghoshal.

Chennaiyin FC Loanees:

Indian Arrows: Samik Mitra, Aimol Chongompipa Reamsochung, Abhijit Sarkar, Rahim Ali & Deepak Tangri 

Mohammedan Sporting: Prosenjit Chakraborty 

Gokulam Kerala: Baoringdao Bodo